


Digging In

by WhiteWitchDark



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:13:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22271647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteWitchDark/pseuds/WhiteWitchDark
Summary: Spardacest Discord Server Secret Santa fill for VilPairings: Dante/Vergil, Nero/KyriePrompts: Vergil/Dante - Vergil takes care of Dante, spoils him, showers him with love all day long...(they can go out on a date, or stay at home...) Dante is sick or he is in heat (omegaverse or demonic biology is goodAnd Dante is happy and fluffy after being taken care ofEveryone is happyVergil/Dante, Nero/Kyrie - Nero takes Kyrie out on a date and they meet Vergil and Dante. Or Vergil/Dante visit them in Fortuna for a week or vice versa. Dante and Kyrie will sit together and talk about their significant other (if that is possible).This prompt basically is the first one + Nero/Kyrie I'm sorry I just want to see Dante and Kyrie being taken care of by Vergil and NeroThis kinda ended as an amalgamation of both, but I hope you like it.  And many thanks to Originblue for the beta
Relationships: Dante/Vergil (Devil May Cry), Kyrie/Nero (Devil May Cry)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 110
Collections: Spardacest Server Fics and Art





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nevilliven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nevilliven/gifts).



> Disclaimer: Ok, so Omegaverse stuff freaks me out, so I went with option 2; sick or poisoned in this case (that counts right?) with some demon biology to make it interesting. Furbies make great demons. I’m sure their makers don’t agree, so obviously, I am not their maker. Neither am I the creator of Devil May Cry because Dante/Lady/Vergil would be canon if I was.

Dante was never weak, he was unbeatable in Nero’s mind, but the lights were on and the blinds were drawn over the windows of Devil May Cry when Nico pulled up. That hadn’t happened since the twins returned from Hell. Nero’s gut churned over the ‘easy’ job Dante had taken that afternoon because it had obviously gone wrong. Following his father up the steps, his hand itched to draw Red Queen, but Vergil pushed open the door before he had a chance to do something stupid.

Dante was leaning against his desk; his coat and shirt tossed over the chair behind it as if he had stripped them off in a hurry. His arms trembled with the effort of holding himself up and his head had fallen forward, his hair almost long enough to touch the dark wood. Sweat covered his bared back and ugly lumps showed against the smooth, unscarred skin where he had already healed over whatever they were. 

Nero had never seen anything like those lumps, and the rush of worry and concern turned into outright anxiety as he followed Vergil inside, stopping to hold open the door while Kyrie said goodbye to Nico and came to join him. Something was very wrong for Dante to be so obviously compromised that he hadn’t reacted to their entrance. His full attention turned to the twins when he heard Vergil ask, “What happened?”

“Furby.”

Vergil hissed and stalked forward quickly, “Nero, tell Kyrie to stay in the van a moment.”

“I’m sorry Vergil, Nico has already pulled away.” Kyrie replied as she came in, “I can wait outside if...”

Nero shrugged guiltily at his father’s back, “Sorry”.

“No matter then.” He ran his hand over the protrusions on his brother’s back and Nero felt ill. They twitched and quivered under the light pressure. Something about the way Vergil touched his uncle was vaguely disturbing as well, the gesture strangely intimate for siblings, but Nero was too busy freaking at the things under Dante’s skin to give it much thought. 

“Can you get me a bowl filled with hot water and a ladle or large spoon, please? The kitchen is through there.” Vergil glanced over at Kyrie and then nodded to one of the doors. Kyrie bobbed her head and quickly left, as worried by Dante’s out of character silence as Nero was. Vergil turned his attention back to his brother, continuing to study the weird bulges running over his shoulders and down his left side. Nero came over to join his father just in time to hear Vergil murmur, “How many?”

“Eight.”

“I’m sorry, Dante, I only count seven. One has started to burrow.” Only Vergil’s supernatural speed let him catch Dante as his arms gave out beneath him.

“Shit.”

“Quite. Nero, help me hold him up. I have to get them out before he heals more.”

Following his father’s directions, Nero took Dante’s weight, letting his uncle drape over him and leaning back against the desk to help keep his balance. He brushed Dante’s hair behind his ear to stop it tickling. Dante was barely conscious, and Nero could feel something close to panic bubbling up in his chest. “What’s wrong with him?” he asked, watching as his father began to strip off his coat and toss it on top of Dante’s. He started on the buckles of his shirt, before he answered softly.

“Furbies are rare demons to find. They’re parasitic and kill their hosts too quickly to survive in this world long. Whatever demon Dante was hunting must have been newly infected when they came through a fresh breach. Thank you, Kyrie.” He nodded as she set the bowl and a large wooden ladle down on the desk beside him.

“Will he be alright?” she asked quietly

“Once I get them out, he should recover. If one is burrowing already, it might take a day or two for the poison to leach out.” His shirt followed his coat into the pile. Kyrie’s eyes widened and she quickly looked from Dante to Vergil to Nero and back, a faint blush spreading up her cheeks. Nero caught her eye and smiled slightly. He could admit Dante and Vergil were good looking men, and they were currently shirtless. Dante looked a good decade younger after the twins’ vacation in Hell, years of pain and guilt washed away in blood split at his brother’s side. Those same months had roughened the babyish, new-born quality Vergil had had on top of the Qliphoth. Which was good because Vergil had looked downright freaky with new-born baby skin.

He suddenly realised Vergil had pulled a knife from somewhere and was watching him with a raised eyebrow. Kyrie had moved out of his field of vision, but she reappeared a moment later, standing on Vergil’s other side. Shrugging slightly, he looked from Vergil and Kyrie and back again, “What? My Dad just stripped to the waist in front of my girlfriend. I’m a bit distracted.”

Kyrie huffed a laugh at him.

Vergil was less amused. “Hold him steady. This should not cause him to react, but one can never tell with demonic instincts.” Vergil said, then he paused a moment, “I did not want to cover my clothing in blood and ichor. My apologies, Kyrie, Nero, I should have warned you.”

“Wait!” Nero yelped, “I’m going to get covered in blood?”

“No”, and without another word, Vergil slashed the blade across the first bulge. Red blood and green… stuff sprayed from the wound as if it had been pressurised and splattered across Vergil’s chest. Behind him, Kyrie looked sick. Nero desperately wanted to see and was just as glad he couldn’t. Vergil dug around for a moment and put a spiky worm-mole looking thing onto the desk, filling the ladle and pouring the hot water over the wound before it healed. More green and red spilled down Dante's back.

Vergil put the ladle down and slashed the knife across the next protrusion, covering himself in another spray of blood and green stuff. Kyrie had come up to his side while Nero was trying to keep his lunch down and poured the next ladle of hot water onto the wound before Vergil had done more than dig the Furby out. He nodded gratefully to her and she stepped back as he raised the knife again, the smell of fresh blood surrounding them.

Seven Furbies. The things were shrivelling up where they lay on the desk, green slime slowly congealing around them. Vergil looked like a horror movie villain, which was too close to past truths for Nero’s taste, his chest covered in blood and green gloop. There were even a few splatters on his face. Kyrie had managed to avoid most of it, just a few drops on her sleeves and hands. Nero’s hands were covered, but he thought that was it. Vergil was ignoring them both as he poked around Dante’s side. He hummed suddenly and did something that made Dante jerk in Nero’s arms.

“You said the last one was burrowing?” Kyrie asked, breaking the worried silence.

“Yes.” He nodded to the decomposing remains on the table, “Those ones didn’t wake on impact. In their dormant state they do nothing but secrete ichor to protect themselves from blunt force injuries. The last one woke and began to eat its way through Dante. It will eventually find his liver and enter the secondary life stage. Best removed before then.”

“Oh.” Kyrie didn’t know what to say to that.

“This is going to be unpleasant. I will not be able to reach it without setting him off.”

“What do you mean?” Nero asked, holding Dante tighter.

Vergil sighed, “When you are badly injured, Nero, what do you do when someone gets too close?”

“He attacks them.” Kyrie said promptly and got a disgruntled look from Nero. She just shrugged, “You do, Nero.”

“When I try to dig the Furby out, Dante will most likely attack me.” Vergil confirmed.

“Is there no way to stop him?” Kyrie asked and only because he was watching Vergil at that moment, did Nero a flicker of something in his eyes, something dark, something Nero wasn’t sure he wanted to understand. 

“There is!” he said quietly.

Vergil sighed and nodded, “Give him to me.” He reached out and pulled Dante back against his chest, his brother’s head tipping back to rest on his shoulder and his hair falling back from his face. Kyrie and Nero both stared at them in surprise.

Vergil eyeballed them and waited.

“You’re identical!” Kyrie said, dropping her gaze “I’m sorry, I just hadn’t realised. You usually look so different.”

“I need you to leave for an hour. There’s a nice restaurant nearby and you must be hungry after the drive. Straight down and take the third left after the lights.”

“Vergil…” Nero started.

“You can’t help with this Nero, and you will just be in the way. Take Kyrie out for a meal. It’s the first chance you’ve had in a while, is it not?”

“But…”

“I will not hurt him. I will not let him hurt me.”

“Come on, Nero” Kyrie took his arm, “Let’s go.”

Reluctantly, Nero let himself be turned towards the door. Kyrie was doing the entire _I know something you don’t_ thing and Nero wasn’t sure how upset he should be. Anyone who could understand Vergil was a good thing, right? Except this was Dante as well. And Nero should know _Dante_ better than Kyrie did, right?


	2. Chapter 2

The children had left and while one part of Vergil sighed with relief, another part felt inexplicably bereft once they were out the door. He didn’t need them, but Nero had made the entire procedure much easier by holding his uncle. And Kyrie’s quick ladling had gotten more of the poison out than Vergil could have on his own. It had not occurred to him to ask for her help, but… No matter, Dante had lost consciousness during the removals. For this to work, he needed him to wake before they tried removing the last one. And Vergil liked his partners willing, his brother more than any other.

With that in mind, he raised one arm and bit the meat of his forearm, waiting until the first wave of demon driven healing had passed before withdrawing his fangs, and pushing his bleeding arm into his brother’s mouth. Dante swallowed automatically, handy things sometimes, demonic instincts. It only took two mouthfuls before his hands lifted to hold Vergil’s arm, consciousness returning, and he sucked hard once before swallowing. Vergil shivered behind him, blood beginning to head south at the sensation.

“I have to get the last Furby out, Dante.” Vergil whispered in his ear, holding him tight against his chest.

His brother tensed at the words, slowing letting his grip on Vergil’s arm loosen. Vergil moved his hand down, trailing his fingers over hard abdominals, as he waited for Dante’s reply, “Ok” 

“May I Claim you?”

“Always”

Vergil struck, sinking demon fangs and teeth into Dante’s neck. Dante gasped, his entire body going pliant once Vergil’s fangs hit _that_ nerve. In the same moment, Vergil shoved his suddenly clawed hand into Dante’s side, tearing through flesh and organs. He didn’t resist, didn’t fight back, the endorphin rush from the Claiming Bite meaning Vergil could do _anything_ to him and Dante would enjoy it, his dick hardening even as his brother’s clawed hand ripped through him.

He felt Vergil’s fist close around the thing inside him, knew he had found the Furby as he pulled his hand out. Dante shivered and sagged against him, lazy arousal spreading through him from Vergil’s fangs still in his neck, “Vergil…”

“Hush, I have you, brother.” He let the bite go, gently licking at the already closing wound and couldn’t resist a quick grind against Dante’s leather clad ass.

Dante shivered again and turned his face to breathe a sigh into Vergil’s neck as he was picked up and sat on the desk. Vergil flushed out what he could from the wound, the water a horrific mix of red, green and that browny colour you got when you mixed them. Dante rested his head on Vergil’s shoulder and closed his eyes, his lazy arousal quickening and his irregular breathing pattern spiked whenever Vergil touched him telling his brother exactly what he was feeling. When Vergil was finished, he tilted Dante’s face up and pressed their lips together, slipping his tongue into Dante’s mouth and getting a nip and a shuddering breath as his reward. Vergil sighed into it, “We need a shower, but first…”

His hand stroked down, flipping open the button of Dante’s pants with a well-practised move, his other hand dragging the zip down.

Dante pulled back, “Vergil, I can wait…”

“The poison is going to do a number on you any moment and you need to cum first.”

Dante sighed and nodded, knowing Vergil was right, and pulled their lips back together with a hand in Vergil’s hair.

A few moments later, Vergil’s hand closed around the length of Dante’s cock and his nails dragged their way up. Dante had been hard as a rock from the moment Vergil’s teeth had pierced him, the Claiming Bite sending a surge of submissive stimulation through his body. It might have been an effective method of stopping his instinct driven attack, but it came with its own set of also-instinct driven complications. Vergil needed to get Dante off before the endorphins wore off and the poison sent him back to dreamland. Otherwise he would wake to a bout of instinct driven lust that would be impossible to satiate with guests in the building. Particularly when those guests were unaware of this side of their relationship. They still hadn’t figured out how to explain it to Nero without the kid going apeshit, to use Dante’s term, on them. With that in mind, he pulled away from Dante’s lips and smiled, “Let me?”

Dante smirked and pushed lightly downwards, “Always Verg, I love it when you suck me off”.

Vergil snorted, but went willingly, dropping to his knees between Dante’s legs. He pushed the pants down, exposing the entirety of Dante’s cock and balls to his eyes. Dante was beautiful. He was always beautiful, whether powerful in combat, submissive beneath his brother’s hands and lips, or vulnerable like now, Dante could not be anything but beautiful and Vergil told him so with a smile, he eyes tracing the red spilling down Dante’s cheeks and neck. One day, he would find the compliment that sent that blush all the way down to his heart. He pushed the sappy thoughts out of his mind and got to work.

Licking his lips to wet them, Vergil turned his attention to the heavy cock in his hand and nibbled along the underside, running a nail along the top in the opposite direction. He felt Dante’s hand tighten in his hair, but he ignored it, instead drawing his tongue over the head and leaving a wet trail as he chased his fingernail, no claws this time, to the base. Dante shuddered. He pulled back slowly, mouthing over the sides as he went until he was back at the tip. Without warning, he swallowed the cock whole, grabbing Dante’s hips to stop him jerking out of his mouth as he shuddered and cursed above him.

“Fuck, Vergil!” he whimpered.

Vergil swallowed again, to make his point, enjoying the shuddering of Dante’s body before he took pity and pulled back, beginning to suck the length more lightly, alternating with swipes of his tongue across the tip. As much as he wanted to play, Dante needed this now.

Above him, Dante twisted and mewled, his voice getting breathier and breathier. Vergil could feel the tension building in his legs and knew his brother was close. He tightened his grip, canted Dante’s hips up, got a yelp for his trouble, then swallowed his brother’s dick the entire way down his throat again. Dante lasted two more swallow sucks and then came, spilling into the warmth of Vergil’s mouth with a soft cry, his hand tightening in silver white hair. The desk edge creaked beside them, objecting to his punishing grip on its edge.

Vergil lapped over the tip, cleaning the last drops up and then slowly rose to his feet, letting Dante rest against him as he ran his hands over the already healed skin on his back. It would take time for the muscles to rebuild and the ichor would delay it. Dante wouldn’t be going anywhere for the next day or two. He was also covered in said ichor, and his own blood. Vergil could admit he hadn’t exactly helped keep his brother clean, covered in even more of the horrible mix as he was himself. “Come on. Shower next, you’re covered in ichor, now. Then bed.”

Dante mumbled something that sounded like ‘your fault’, but Vergil ignored it in favour of bending slightly and scooping Dante up into his arms bridal style. The resulting yelp made him smirk, but he hoped Dante wouldn’t flail around too much because that might get him dropped.

“I can walk, Vergil.”

“I know.” Vergil admitted, “But, I want to carry you. And you are too weak stop me right now”. He started towards the bathroom. Dante grumbled for a moment, before cuddling into Vergil’s arms. All the tortures of hell wouldn’t get either of them to admit they liked it, but each suspected his brother already knew.

Setting Dante’s feet on the ground, but not letting go otherwise, Vergil turned the dial up to Dante’s preferred temperature. He usually preferred it a little cooler than his twin, but Dante could do with a little pampering and Vergil wanted to spoil him after shoving his claw into his side – it gave the term ‘fisting’ a whole new, and murderous, meaning. 

A mostly translucent layer of skin already covered the gaping hole, stopping the bleeding and the flesh was building up behind it even as he watched. He didn’t feel guilt exactly, he had had to get the Furbies out, but he wished there had been a different, less bloody and painful way to do it. And he wasn’t entirely happy about the Claiming Bite either. Oh, he had given Dante countless ones since they had started this, but it had always been for them. Using the effect to get the last Furby out had… sullied… the experience in a way Vergil couldn’t articulate but soured the taste of his brother’s blood on his tongue.

Dante watched him, then reached out to touch his face, “Thanks.”

“You are welcome. Do you need my help to finish undressing?”

Dante shook his head, kicking off his boot and shimmying out of the open pants. Vergil had known he wasn’t wearing underwear, but seeing it hardened his cock to a painful level. Dante moved into the shower, letting the glass walls take most of his weight once he was positioned. Closing his eyes, he pulled the showerhead around to him. “You make quite the picture there, brother, your modesty protected only by the steam.”

Dante snorted, “Don’t forget the green goo. Sexy stuff, Furby ichor.”

“Maybe the steam hides that too.” A smile tugged Vergil’s lips as he watched his brother’s head dip in embarrassment. Then, he quickly divested himself of the rest of his own clothing and slipped in beside him.

They were both clean, but the hot water hadn’t run out yet. Dante was still awake and gently kissing him, but he wasn’t going to last much longer. The Claiming Bite had done a number on Vergil too, but he wasn’t suffering from Furby poison. He could therefore think straight and would wait until later to deal with his own needs. His left arm and hand seemed to have declared independence though and were currently sliding down the crevice of his brother’s ass, the destination clear. Dante hiked one leg up over his hip, evidently deciding to back the independence bid.

“Dante!” Vergil hissed, breaking their kiss, “You won’t last…”

“Not if you don’t hurry up, Verge! Please! I want to feel you fuck me.”

Vergil grunted, pressed his forehead against Dante’s for a moment and then boosted him up, positioning his other leg around himself. He leaned his brother back against the tiles and pulled the lube from the shower shelf. After spreading a generous dollop onto his hand, he frowned at it a moment, then tossed it over the glass into the pile of their clothes. Wouldn’t want Nero to get the wrong, or right, idea until they figured out how to tell him. He made a mental note to check the other usual spots they kept tubes before Nero and Kyrie got back and focused on spreading the slimy substance over his fingers.

Dante watched him swipe his finger through the slippery liquid, then braced his arms on Vergil’s shoulders, canting his thighs to give him as easy access as possible. It wasn’t really the best position, but they had done this often enough that Dante’s body was conditioned to accept the invasion and they wouldn’t have to hold it long. It was only a minute before Vergil was scissoring three fingers inside him, his twin squirming against him at the sensation. Dante liked it rough, liked pain in his pleasure, but Vergil didn’t want to hurt him anymore tonight, so he lent back, taking more of Dante’s weight, allowing him to add a forth finger to the task of loosening his brother’s entrance. 

Dante shuddered in his arms, squirming around the fingers as they slowly moved inside him, Vergil purposely avoiding the spot Dante was trying to get him to reach. _“Vergil!”_ he whined, wriggling even more. Vergil chuckled, and complied, not really wanting to edge him. He curled his fingers once, scraping them over his sweet spot and feeling Dante shudder against him. Slowly, he dragged his lube covered hand over his own dick, once, twice. Quickly withdrawing his fingers, he re-positioned his brother, breaching him in one practised motion. Dante gasped, clenching down on Vergil’s dick even as he struggled to breathe around the pressure. Vergil simply held him, basking in the feel of Dante’s tight heat and his brother’s willing submission.

He began to move slowly, rocked up into Dante, sliding up against his prostate with every gliding thrust. Each movement made Dante moan against him, each twist caused his brother to gasp, shuddering around him and Vergil soaked it all in. Sweat mingled with the slowly cooling shower as they slid against each other and Vergil could feel himself approaching climax. He pressed a last kiss to Dante’s swollen lips, looking into his eyes.

“Let me?” He gasped out.

Dante didn’t hesitate, tilting his head over and bearing his throat without breaking eye contact. The sound the image tore from Vergil was more demon then human. His fangs sank into Dante’s neck again, reopening the earlier wounds. Blood poured into his mouth, his nerves singing with a true Claiming and his orgasm exploded through him. The last thing he felt was Dante spasming around him.

Vergil slid to his knees, his breath coming in gasps and armoured scales sliding over his skin before retracting, only to slide over human skin again. He watched the changes for a moment until his breath evened out and he could hear the matched breaths before him. Lifting his head, he smiled at Dante, who watched him with heavy eyes and a sleepy smile.

“Sleep, brother. I will take care of you.”

Dante nodded once, closing his eyes and Vergil watched the bite wound heal. The water had turned lukewarm, so he quickly washed the evidence off them and scooped Dante up again. Hesitating a moment, he kicked their clothing into a pile beside the laundry hamper, making sure the lube was hidden and then turned back to making sure Dante was properly taken care of. Soft towels were piled on the shelf beside the shower, an indulgence Vergil had never been happier for as he patted them both dry.

It was awkward, mostly because he wasn’t willing to put Dante down and he was happy his brother wasn’t awake to tease him about it. Instead he got to smile shyly at the man in his arms and cuddle him closer. The lights were off in their bedroom, but demonic sight was a handy thing and Vergil quickly settled Dante in bed. After he finished drying off, he dressed himself and sat down beside his brother, absently running his hand through Dante’s hair, pushing it back in imitation of his own style. He could be looking at a mirror right now, and he smiled at the memory of Kyrie’s surprise when she realised that they were identical. Dante mumbled lightly and curled into his side. Unwilling to leave just yet, he lay down beside him, petting his hair and watching him slumber. Without realising it, Vergil followed his brother into sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Kyrie balanced the tray in her hands and knocked in the twins' bedroom door, waiting until she heard a muffled ‘come in’ before pushing down on the handle and nudging it open, “Dante?”

“'Afternoon, Kyrie.” The legendary hunter grinned at her from where he sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. He was dressed, despite being under orders not to get up, in black jeans and a red shirt and was, against all odds, reading a book.

“Yes, I can read.” He laughed at her expression and flipped the cover so she could see the name. Kyrie laughed back ruefully, “I never doubted it. I found the library and I brought you some soup.” She set the tray down on the bed beside him and handed over the first bowl, “You know, I never realised you and Vergil were identical twins.”

“Lot of people don’t notice. Something about hairstyles and me not being a cold bastard. Soup and conversation?”

“I…” she hesitated, “I have a few questions. If Vergil’s a bastard, so are you, twins remember?”

“That’s exactly the kind of thing he’d say. He’s corrupting you already.” Dante sighed forlornly, “I’m trapped with Vergil Mark 2!”

“Kinda” Kyrie hesitated, nibbling her lower lip as she suddenly wondered if she was overstepping boundaries, “I can leave if you like.”

Dante shook his head and motioned for her to take the chair beside him as he took a mouthful of soup.

“Damn, this is good! Did you make it?” At her nod, he laughed, “I guess homemade soup is worth a few questions. Embarrassing or…” He trailed off, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

Giggling, Kyrie tried her own soup, “Maybe a little, but I’ll tell you some stories as well.”

“This I can get behind. Shoot!”

“You and Vergil…” she fumbled around in her pocket and dropped the half full tube of lube onto the bed, “Stuff like this happened in Fortuna sometimes. It was a small island and not very welcoming to outsiders, so everyone was related to one degree or another.” She shrugged her shoulders, “I just want to know what to say to Nero.”

Dante picked the tube up, “Does he know?”

“No, although I think he’s beginning to suspect. I found it buried in a pile of clothes covered in Furby… ichor… is that the right word?”

“Yeah.”

“The clothing went into the wash and that… that went into my pocket.” Kyrie sighed, “I don’t really care. At least I won’t have to deal with the fallout from a stillbirth this time. I just need to understand. Is this a demonic… thing? Is it something I need to know, or worry, about?”

Dante nodded slowly, taking another sip of soup, “Demons breed through combining power. Whether the power is compatible is all there is to it. If the power won’t mix, nothing will make it. Vergil and I, we’ve always been compatible. Humans are drawn to beauty because it implies health. Demons are drawn to power emulations that match their own. Makes incest fairly common in Hell.”

“Are you going to tell Nero?”

“We’re not actually trying to hide it from him”, he threw her a tired smile and Kyrie read the worry in it, “We can’t figure out what to say without having him freak, not about us specifically, he grew up in Fortuna too, but about the demon stuff. Least with Lady we only had to tell her she could join in!”

Kyrie hiccuped a laugh that turned sad a moment later, “My folks were first cousins.” She took a deep breath, “One of the reasons they were so willing to take Nero in was my… brother.”

“Credo?”

“No, Malka. He didn’t survive his first year. They both had a recessive gene and…” Kyrie shook herself, “Then I was born, and it drowned out the pain until Credo dragged this half-starved orphan home, who was about the age Malka would have been. He wanted a younger brother and... my parents weren’t willing to risk another child.” Her voice broke. 

Dante gave her a moment before saying. “Mom always used to say Vergil and I were only identical when I was napping, or he was on a sugar rush.”

“Vergil on a sugar rush?” she tried to grin.

“Yeah, he had this thing for toffee and went completely insane on it. Once he tried jumping off the third-floor balcony convinced he would grow wings and fly.”

Kyrie choked her laugh off, “What happened?”

“Dad caught him. I came down the stairs to find him hanging upside down with Dad’s tail wrapped around his ankle and his shorts falling up around his waist. He was hanging there, about eight foot off the ground and there he was, lecturing Dad about why interrupting an experiment was a bad idea.” He caught Kyrie’s half-finished bowl as she pitched forward laughing, “I can see that!”

“What happened when Credo brought Nero home?” he asked gently.

For a moment, Kyrie was silent, then a small smile tugged her lips, “Keep in mind, this is before his devil-bringer appeared. He was just a normal four-year-old with a head of silver hair and the beginnings of the chip on his shoulder.” She twisted around to look at him, “Credo dragged him into the kitchen and shoved him into the chair. Mom asked who his guest was. I don’t think Credo even knew he had had a younger brother. I didn’t, until years later when… when Helena lost her baby and mom told me the truth, but anyway, Credo declared that since mom and dad hadn’t gotten him a brother, he had decided Nero could be it.”

Dante sniggered, “How did Nero take that?”

“Badly” Kyrie smirked, “but Credo was bigger than him so… he couldn’t do much about being dragged around. After a while, he began to enjoy it. My parents loved him after the first couple of months. They were planning to formally adopt him when… when the accident happened.”

“What was he like?” 

“He was always so serious in the beginning. Always looking for the trap. After a while, he began to loosen up. He loved music and had piano lessons with my mother for a while. I remember him playing Moonlight Sonata. What about Vergil?”

Dante put his empty soup bowl onto the tray, “At eight? He was far too serious for his own good. Always trying to figure out how things worked, how people worked. He took to maths and science like a duck to water. He always pretended his didn’t have time for me and mom, even dad when he was home, but once you got him involved in something, he’d stop trying so hard and just have fun.”

“That sounds like Nero at the same age, except he was always angry at something too.” Kyrie said softly.

“What happened?”

“Nero was… not ostracised exactly, but he was different. The other orphans knew who their parents had been and why they were in the orphanage. Nero didn’t. There were no records of a birth around that time and the Order kept good records. They needed to because the population was so small. Nero’s DNA didn’t match anyone else on record either. Well,” she shrugged, “obviously he matched your dad’s but they didn’t tell anyone that. He was a mystery, and Fortuna is very conservative, so everyone kinda assumed the worst.”

Dante finished his soup and waited while she sorted through her thoughts, “Credo, Nero and I were escorting some of the younger children home from the cathedral. We were attacked, and that’s when…”

“His arm?”

“Yes. He fought them off, protected all of us. Logically, that should have made him a hero. That’s what happened to everyone else who fought off a demon but his arm… Instead people called him an abomination and rumours began to spread. Nero realised that logic wasn’t as powerful as emotions and… stopped trying, I guess. He finished school because Credo and I asked him to and then joined one of the clean-up crews. Credo kept trying to get him into the Knights, but Sanctus always blocked it, using his arm as an excuse.”

They were silent for a moment.

“Has he asked Vergil?”

“Asked what?”

“About his mother.”

“No” she slowly shook her head, “I think he’s scared to. He thought… after meeting you, that you might be his father. And with the entire demon thing, well we don’t know much about demon procreation and…”

Dante burst out laughing, “We had that conversation, you know, in Hell? We’re not looking to have another kid anytime soon.”

Kyrie went red.

“I did wonder.” Dante sobered, “There were three women I could think of, but I knew he was Vergil’s when he reformed Yamato.”

“You and Vergil could have a child? Together?” Kyrie blurted out.

Dante shrugged, a wicked smile on his face, “Vergil would have to stay in hell until it was born because he’d have to stay triggered. He doesn’t want to do that.”

“Vergil…” Kyrie had stopped breathing

“Well, technically either one of us, but I ain’t doing it.”

“I… you…”

“Breathe Kyrie!” Dante laughed at her, “Demons don’t have genders. They breed through power, remember? There’s no funky biology thing going on.” His grin turned evil, “Is Nero intersex? That’s all on the human side.”

Kyrie squeaked, went even redder and threw the cushion from under her elbow at the laughing devil hunter. The twit just caught it and put it behind him with a laugh.

Then she sobered again, “We haven’t… I mean…”

“Should I ask why?”

“We were getting there, I mean, I was but then we found out Nero was part demon and I guess… we’re both scared?”

“Scared of what?”

“Saviour, this is so embarrassing.” She dropped her face into her hands, “Nero loves violence, he thrives on the fighting. It’s one of the reasons he’s so good at what he does.”

“OK… what does that have to do with anything?”

“We’re both scared… he’ll hurt me.” She said quietly, rubbed her arm slowly. “He’s gotten rough before, too rough. He stopped immediately, but what if he doesn’t stop next time. He’s so strong.”

Dante was frowning now, absently tapping a finger against his chin. Kyrie felt like an idiot. She put the bowls onto the tray and stood up, “I’m sorry, Dante. I came up here to keep you company and instead just… dumped on you.”

“Sit down. I think… I think you need to hear this because Nero sure as hell won’t ask and your options are me or Vergil. I’d be a crap future-father-in-law, uncle and partner if I condemned you both to _that_ conversation.”

Kyrie hiccuped a half-terrified laugh and sat back down.

Dante sighed, “Full disclosure. Right.” He titled his head back and closed his eyes. She wasn’t sure if he was thinking or just trying not to look at her. 

“Demons thrive on sensation. The dividing line between emotion and sensation is a lot fuzzier for them, and they don’t do contradictory ones. A demon eats if it's hungry. It’s not going to get disgusted or turn up its nose at the food. A demon is horny and goes looking for a partner. If the power fits, it’s not going to care what the other demon is. It's not going to get turned off because the first friend it finds is an… I dunno, Empusa.”

“Gross”

“Human.” Dante replied with a smile, “They also don’t have a tab A or a slot B or C to insert it into.”

Kyrie gaped at him.

“Yep, all those ‘demon rape’ stories were just wishful thinking on the ladies’ part.”

That wicked grin was back, Kyrie noted, but then he sobered as he continued, “Now, back to Nero hurting you. Being part demon is not going to make him any more likely to do that then he would if he was all human. I want you to keep that in mind.” He turned to look at her for a moment, “He hurts you and that’s all on him, it’s not some demonic thing he can’t control. You tell me or Vergil or Lady, hell even Trish, immediately and we’ll make sure he never touches you again.” He signed a little, “He is stronger than you, you’re right and according to Nico, doesn’t know his own strength, but that’s not a good enough reason. If you say ‘stop’ or ‘it hurts’ or ‘I don’t like this’, demon or man, he should stop. What might get you screwed up is the entire sensations thing, he might not realise you’re not enjoying yourself unless you tell him outright. Don’t wait for him to read the signs or whatever.” 

“OK” Kyrie stood up, “I need a moment, and a drink. Can I get you anything?”

“Soda?”

“Sure” she smiled a little painfully and left the room with the tray.

That was a lot to take in. It hadn’t been what she expected when she went to see Dante, but then conversations with the man never went the way she expected and she owed him for making her blush like that - the entire idea of Vergil and Dante making a child was absurd... Her mind spun.

She returned with two glasses of soda and retook her chair, “Nero used to be terrified of frogs.”

Dante raised an eyebrow, “Frogs?”

She hummed, “My parents’ house had a small stream running beside it. It had this little pool in it and every year we’d get hundreds of tadpoles. Nero went crazy the first time he seen one, wouldn’t go near one for years. He still doesn’t like them.”

Dante snickered, and repeated, “Frogs!”

“Your turn.”

Dante smiled at her and leaned back against the pillows, “Growing up, we used to have these horrendous thunderstorms. Vergil was terrified of the thunder and I was terrified of the lightening. We used to climb into one bed and huddle under the covers. Vergil started bringing poetry books with him and we’d take turns reading out loud until the storm passed. I still find myself reciting poems when I see lightening, and I heard him the other night…

_The leaves unhooked themselves from trees  
And started all abroad;  
The dust did scoop itself like hands  
And throw away the road._”

“Is that Blake?” Kyrie asked.

“No, Emily Dickinson’s ‘A Thunderstorm’,” he smiled, “It was always my favourite. You know, Vergil plays the violin.”

“Really?” she perked up.

“And I think I know where to get a piano from. Do you play an instrument?”

“No” she blushed, “but I do sing. What about you?”

“Mostly guitar these days. Both of us learnt the piano as kids. It might take me a couple of days to get it and convince Nevan to forgive me. Could try to get it organised before your next visit?”

“That would be amazing, Dante.”

The sound of footsteps in the office below, followed by the door slamming caught their attention, “Sounds like they’re back.” Dante said.

Kyrie nodded and collected their glasses. He caught her hand, “Look, talk to Lady, okay? She’ll be able to give you the best advice about sleeping with a demon.” 

A wicked grin overtook Kyrie’s face and she watched nervousness spread across Dante’s, “I will, and speaking of Lady, if she can join in, can I watch?”

Dante made a choked sound, his eyes widening in disbelief, and Kyrie left him with a laugh, calling to Vergil and Nero that she was coming as she left the room. Nico would probably like to watch too. Damn it, why hadn’t she thought to say that in there!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I really wanted to write the Nero Freak Out scene as part of him taking care of Kyrie, but... it wasn't happening. Kyrie has come out of this chapter with a bit too much to think about herself, to worry about what Nero suspects about the twins. 
> 
> And yes, the big question, is Nero's power compatible with the twins?


End file.
